Does anyone actually tell you how and why your manuscript did or didn’t get picked up? My onboarding process has developed a lot over the past three years, especially considering I was taught nothing about it during my publishing education. I’ve no doubt it will keep changing as my press grows. For now though, let me reveal this side of the page for you.
The first thing I do differently is keep submissions open permanently. Anything that comes in is added to a waitlist. My brain itches when I want to get something done but have to wait for time to pass; that item on my ‘to-do’ list will weigh heavily on my shoulders, which distracts me from other work that needs doing. I imagine others feel the same way, so my submissions remain open to alleviate that little stress from my prospective authors’ lives. I don’t get too many through — maybe one a month. When I’m ready to take on another project, I go to the top of the waitlist, and there is a story waiting its turn.
The first review is one of the most difficult parts of acquisition. You can’t convey a whole story in three chapters and a few paragraphs of synopsis. From what I’ve seen in the industry, this is often where the decision is made: will this project be the one to make the cut?
Unfortunately, sometimes it isn’t the content that puts a submission on the ‘no’ pile. Publishers give clear guidelines about what they want to see and how they want to see it. Read them carefully. You should also research the publisher and what they publish to make sure 1. they are right for you, and 2. your story is right for them. A few times, I’ve had to send emails declining submissions because I was sent a full manuscript and lore breakdown in the synopsis section. I always encourage those authors to resubmit in the correct format.
Here is a breakdown of my submission guidelines:
- Full name
- Email address
- Working Title
- Phone number (optional)
- First chapter (file upload)
- Synopsis
I also include some explanatory text to the side:
We would love to hear about your book! Send us a submission via the form.
When making your submission, please note that you will be added to a waiting list, and we will email you when we can.
Please note: we do not take submissions for children’s books – we simply don’t have access to the right audience!
My focus is on the author, rather than the content alone. Whilst some publishing houses and presses look for a specific genre, I leave my guidelines open. I prefer to take on authors who align with the press values, especially authors whose work connects with Welsh culture, Welsh literature, or the communities at the heart of what I do.
So, I’ve had to say no to your submission. Now what? I always try to direct authors to a place where they may be more successful, like one of my Small Press Pals. A good number of them are in America, and some are hybrid presses, which doesn’t always align with an author’s current situation. Still, the worst thing you can do is not ask. Occasionally, I’ll send back some feedback on elements that need to be developed before I’d consider taking the project on. I’m always open to discussing points that don’t make sense and adding additional guidance where needed, within the scope of acquisition.
Sometimes the decision isn’t as clear-cut as I would like. Sometimes I can see the potential in a project, but I need to understand the author too. This is where experience and gut instinct come into play. I’m looking for passionate authors who believe in their story. That doesn’t always come across in the synopsis, so I like to arrange a video call with potential authors to do a vibe check.
I ask myself questions like: do I think we would get along? How invested do they seem? What kind of questions are they asking me? Does the conversation feel natural or forced? How are they talking about their project? How the call goes dictates whether I ask for a full manuscript. Often, it’s clear that something won’t work, and we end up just having a nice chat. It’s always nice to chat to creative people, even if you don’t end up working with them.
Requesting the full manuscript is the most exciting aspect of acquisition. Seeing an author’s face light up because you want to read their work never gets old. That moment is the reason I publish.
I’ve tried to make the process of reading the full manuscript for the first time as easy as possible. I don’t want to immediately jump into editing mode, so I play it through a PDF reader and keep my hands busy with some crocheting. I’ve found that listening to the manuscripts is the quickest way to spot larger content problems, like plot holes. It also immerses me in the narrative voice. I still find it difficult to keep my own narrative voice quiet, even three years on.
Acquisition is the process I’ve struggled with the most because of my lack of education and experience. I’ve been through countless iterations of lists and mind maps. I’ve researched what questions I should be asking, how I should ask for submissions, how many submissions I should take on…the list goes on. It is only through meeting so many people that I’ve begun to hone my sixth sense for authorial vibes.
But acquisition is also thrilling. You’re meeting new friends, not only in the authors, but in the characters too. You are entrusted with bringing them to life with paper and ink, and it is such a pleasure to do so.
